The present invention relates to aeronautics, and more particularly to a control system for a vertical take off and land (VTOL) aircraft, where the pilot may use the same controls to operate the vertical flight and forward flight equipment.
In one type of VTOL aircraft, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,482,109 to the present inventor (the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference), jet engines are provided in a forward portion of the aircraft. During vertical flight, the thrust is directed downwardly via a cascade thrust deflector. During forward flight, the cascade thrust deflector is stored, outside the air stream of the thrust, within the fuselage.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an integrated pilot control system for an aircraft, such as described above, where the pilot may use the same controls for controlling the aircraft in both vertical and forward flight.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a jet aircraft comprising a jet engine mounted in a forward portion of the aircraft; a thrust deflection assembly provided rearward of the jet engine, the thrust deflection assembly including a cascade and control box for deflecting thrust during vertical flight of the aircraft, wherein the cascade is movable between a retracted position and deployed positions and whereby manipulation of the cascade and control box controls roll, yaw and pitch of the aircraft during vertical flight ailerons for controlling roll of the aircraft during forward flight; a rudder for controlling yaw of the aircraft during forward flight; elevators for controlling pitch of the aircraft during forward flight; a pilot control input apparatus, which receives pilot input regarding desired roll, yaw and pitch of the aircraft; and a control mixer, operatively associated with the pilot control input apparatus, for controlling the control box, ailerons, rudder and elevators in accordance with the desired roll, yaw and pitch of the aircraft, wherein the pilot uses the same control input apparatus for vertical and forward flight.
In another aspect, the thrust deflection assembly may include at least two control boxes.
In another aspect, the control box may include a plurality of vanes for controlling roll of the aircraft.
In another aspect, the thrust deflection assembly may include a plurality of doors, which cooperate with the cascade to direct thrust to the control box.
In another aspect, the thrust deflection assembly may be mounted for movement such that it may be selectively moved into and out of a thrust from the jet engine.
In another aspect, the control mixer may be mechanically or electronically linked to the pilot control input apparatus.
In another aspect, the control mixer may be electronically linked to the pilot control input apparatus via a wireless or wired link.
In another aspect, the control mixer may be mechanically or electronically linked to the control box.
In another aspect, the control mixer may electronically linked to the control box via a wireless or wired link.
In another aspect, the control mixer may directly control at least one of the (i) control box, (ii) rudder, (iii) elevators, and (iv) ailerons.
In another aspect, the control mixer may indirectly control at least one of the (i) control box, (ii) rudder, (iii) elevators, and (iv) ailerons via a servo motor.
In another aspect, during vertical flight, pitch may be controlled by rotating the control box around an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
In another aspect, the thrust deflection assembly may include at least two control boxes, and during vertical flight, yaw may be controlled by differentially moving the two control boxes.
In another aspect, the control mixer may further comprise a mechanical converter assembly, which bifurcates input from the pilot control input apparatus and is mechanically link to the control box and at least one of (i) the rudder, (ii) elevators, and (iii) ailerons. Further, the relative ratio of movement between the (i) control box and (ii) the at least one of the rudder, elevators and ailerons, may be adjusted by varying the mechanical converter assembly.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cvertical flightxe2x80x9d is defined as flight in which the cascade is in a non-retracted, deployed position.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cforward flightxe2x80x9d is defined as flight in which the cascade is in a retracted position.
Other aspects, objects and advantages will be apparent from the description that follows, including the figures and the claims.